Remnants of a Master
by AllTheDemonsRun
Summary: The girl had no idea what she had done. A monster living with in a girl who is nothing more than a child. Dreams captured waiting to be freed and only she can free them, crossing over to places of roaming spirits. A demon can save us all, so can this child, and so can this master. All as one, she can help us all. Warning:Blood and possible gore.
1. Opening

Demonic Light Opening

_Arénam- Aria stood in the keyblade graveyard staring at Kingdom Hearts.  
_

Everybody wants me to be their angel

_Our 13yr old hero fell down into nothingness. Her eyes remained half closed. Red specks cut through the imperfect shades of green and brown. Blood began to fall like rain. The years started to wash away. _

Everybody wants something they can cradle

_She turned into a four year old. Blood drips down from her large eyes and down her pudgy cheeks. The vision moves away from the young girl as she falls further into nothingness fading inside the darkness around her. _

They don't know I burn

_She stood in a forest. it was dense, surrounded by many trees._

They don't know I burn

_She looks around with a still and bored face. _

They don't know I burn

_Her head snaps foward. The forest sets on fire. a greenish crystal surrounds the thirteen year old's body, covering her from the top spike on her head to her feet. _

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside

_Arénam- Aria falls to the ground holding her head, in pain. Rain poured down from the sky._

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside of me

_Her hand turn into claws, scaly red. _

Devil (or something like it) inside

_Her eyes turn into a sickening red shade, like blood. her pupils thinner than a sheet of paper._

Maybe there's a devil somewhere really deep inside me

_She throws her head back and arches her back as large demon wings force their way out from in between her shoulder-blades. _

Devil inside of me

_Small horns poke out from her messy brown hair. A demon tail grows from her lower back._  
Jealous angel deep inside me

_An angel with red hair and violet hair smiled down at her. She brought down her keyblade slamming it in the ground. __Arénam- Aria dodged her just in time.  
_

You don't know cuz you're too busy reading labels

_Arénam- Aria raised her keyblade and swung it towards the angel._

You're missing all the action underneath my table

_She smiles as the angel holds her arm, blood drips through her pale fingers , leaving traces on her skin._

I'm waiting for my turn

_She closes her eyes._

Waiting for my turn

_When she opens them again she is in a snowy tundra. Her older brother, Wolfe, stood next to her._

Just waiting for my turn

_A large iron- colored dragon landed onto the ground. The earth quaked. Wolfe lost his balance. __Arénam- Aria didn't move._

Just waiting for my turn

_The dragon opened its mouth. Wolfe runs._

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside

_Arénam- Aria falls to the ground holding her head, in pain._

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside of me

_Her hand turn into claws, scaly red. _

Devil (or something like it) inside

_She throws her head back and arches her back as large demon wings force their way out from in between her shoulder-blades. _

Maybe there's a devil somewhere really deep inside me

_Small horns poke out from her messy brown hair. A demon tail grows from her lower back._

Devil inside of me

_Her mouth spreads from ear to ear. She now has a fangy demonic grin._

Jealous angel deep inside me

_The angel had blackened wings, she pushed the demon into a crystal clear lake. The light blue that it was, faded slowly into a red._

Time to make it burn

_Arénam stood in front of the dragon. The snow fell and disappeared into her soft and tanned skin. _

This is how I burn

_The iron colored dragon roared. Flames erupted hurdling towards __Aré. She didn't flinch as the flames consumed everything around her.  
_

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside

_Arénam- Aria was chained to two pillars, in the Olympus Collisium, stuck as a demon. _

Maybe there's a devil (or something like it) inside of me

_Men surrounded her with weapons so sharp they practically sparkled beneath the sunlight. _

Devil (or something like it) inside

_She tried to break free. struggling with all the strength that she possessed. _

Maybe there's a devil somewhere really deep inside me

_The pillars began to crack. The men froze in fear. _

Devil inside of me

_The pillars broke and the young demon used the chains to throw the pillars at the men. They were pushed into a stadium wall._  
Jealous angel deep inside me

_The thirteen year old hero lay on the stone floor. Blood spilled out from gashes that covered her body. Her eyes were lifeless, dead. The demon's body was twisted and broken. The angel smiled and slams her angelic keyblade against __Arénam's back, making the girl lay on her side. Blood poured out from her mouth.  
_

**I don't own anything besides the OCs, one of the worlds in the story and a few songs in later chapters. I also own the idea for this story. Devil Inside is sung by Utada Hikaru. Kingdom Hearts is owned by Square Enix **


	2. Chapter 1

Prologue: The First of Many

_An eight year old boy ran down the street. A street in the heart of the slums of his home world. One of his dark blue eyes were swollen shut. Bullies. He had a big problem with bullies. Well you see this boy didn't exactly fit in. He was just an outcast, he didn't even know the reasons why. He quickly fumbled with the doorknob and opened the door. He saw his older sister sitting on the couch in the living room writing something, probably homework. Sometimes he was jealous of his sister, she was a keyblade wielder. Ever since she was his age, she trained with their father. He was a keyblade master. The boy secretly wished he could be like him. _

_ He tried to sneak past his older sister. "Hi Nova." He quickly mumbles. Nova doesn't even look up and she commands, "Freeze." She gets off of the couch, throwing her notebook away. The boy stops and looks away. "Look at me." Nova behinds down slightly looking now at her brother's height. He shyly looks at his sister revealing his black and swollen eye. Nova sighed. "Terra. Again." He nodded. Nova dragged her brother into their kitchen. It was kind of small but large enough to manage. Terra sat down on one of the chairs at their kitchen table in the middle of the room. Across from him was his younger brother, Wolfe, who was feeding the youngest of the family, Arénam- Aria. The toddler picks up the bowl of grapes that she was being feed and dumped them all out on the high chair's tray. She laughs and puts the bowl on her head. Ignoring Wolfe's protest to make her stop. _

_ "Where's Dad?" Terra asked grabbing the ice pack that Nova handed him. He put the ice pack over the swollen eye. "Working, he should be home soon." Nova swiped the bowl away from her one year old sister and cleans up the scattered grapes. Terra slid off of the chair. Lazily he swung the icepack at his side. He was halfway to his bedroom when he heard the door open. "Hey kids! I'm home." The four children's father announced closing and locking the front door. _

_ "Dad, those jerks beat up Terra again." Nova shouts from the kitchen. Terra hung his head. Daichi, their father, kneels down to his oldest son's height. The young brunette turned to face his father, knowing that he couldn't hide it from him and wait until it was gone. "Is that it?" Daichi asks his son, who slowly shook his head no. He removed his jacket to reveal several more bruises and scrapes. Daichi sighed. _

_ "Terra. Let's just get these cleaned up. Okay." Terra nods. Daichi picks up Terra, like he's done thousands of times before. Daichi starts to walk down the hallway. Terra looked behind his dad, he saw Arénam following them. When they made it to the bathroom, Daichi pulled out a first aid kit from the medicine cabinet. Even though he was a keyblade master and knew magic, he wasn't very good at it. He took out anti- bacterial spray medicine (Don't know a name of one). "This is going to sting a little." He reminded his son. Terra nodded and braced himself, every time he was sprayed with the medicine, it stung more than a little. Daichi smiles and laughs at his oldest son's antics. Aré sat in the doorway with her fist in her mouth and her other hand grabbing her toes._

_ Daichi takes Terra's arm, he sprays one of the scrapes on his arm. Terra winces. "I told you it would sting." Daichi said. He just trying to be a good dad, trying to keep his kids safe. His wife, their mother, Usagi, died one year ago. The day Arénam-Aria was born, also Terra's seventh birthday. Also it was only a few days before the bullying started. Terra, Nova, and Wolfe were upset about they're mother died, so Daichi let them stay home for a few days. When Terra returned to school he put on a brave face for most of the day. At recess he saw his mother's favorite flower and he started crying. Those jerks saw him and started picking on him. They still have been doing this for a year. Daichi is trying to get more money so he could move somewhere else, specially being able to start a new life with his kids and get Terra away from his daily torment. For now, they were stuck in the slums._

_ Daichi sprayed the rest of the scrapes and then put Band-Aids on each. "Hey Munchkin, did they get you too?" Daichi joked looking at his youngest daughter. She shook her head no, almost losing balance. Terra and his father laughs at the little girl. "Come 'ere shorty." Daichi spreads his arms, waiting for a hug. His little girl stood up and walked over to him but fell against him. She looks up at her father with the same sleazy grin he wore. Terra and Daichi's eyes widen. "She walked!" Daichi cheers jumping up carrying his youngest, spinning her in the air. Terra let out a cheer as well._

_ "What?!" Wolfe whined at the door with Nova next to him. "Aré's walking!" Terra shouts before holding his head. Daichi stops immediately squatting down to his son's height. "Are you ok?" He questions. "Yeah, just got dizzy, those jerks really hit my head hard." Terra stares down at his lap with both his hands on his head. "Wah!" Terra cries when his father scoops him up. "Why did you do that?" _

_ "You're going to bed, early. We'll bring you your dinner to you." Terra puts his head on his father's shoulder. Nova walks into the kitchen with Wolfe following her. If you couldn't tell Wolfe really looks up to Nova. Their house only had two bedrooms, Daichi's, and the kids' room. Daichi walks into the larger one, the kid's bedroom. It used to be his, after Usagi passed he gave the larger room to his four kids. The room was plain with three beds and one crib. It only had one window, Terra was fortunate enough to get the bed that was closer to the window. A few toys were scattered on the floor. _

_ Daichi put two of kids in their separate beds. Terra laid down and drops the ice pack on his eye. Within seconds he fell asleep. Daichi gave Aré a teddy bear. He smiles as she starts to play with it. He turns to leave as her green-blue eyes start turning red. As soon as he leaves, the little girl smiles, physically spreading from ear to ear. She leans forward and bites off the leg and arm and ear of the bear. She returns to normal and falls asleep with the teddy in her arms. _

_ Terra ran home from school the next day. No bullies for today. It made him happier. He never knew what was about to happen. When he arrived at his home he saw his father standing with men in suits. One was holding a gun to his father's head. Terra stepped inside, they all looked at him. One of the men pointed their gun at him. "Who is that?" He asked sternly. "He's my son. Please don't hurt him." Daichi pleaded. "Terra leave. Now!" he now shouted. Terra ran out the door. Sprinting down the street. "Find him, he could have the gift." The man with the gun to Daichi's head ordered and the second man chased after Terra. "I said, Do Not Hurt My Children!" Daichi shouted. His green eyes widened as the man pulled the trigger. _

_ Outside, it was hell. Monsters were attacking. Buildings of fire. Death surrounding him. His siblings were nowhere to be seen. He was terrified, he kept running. Terra couldn't help but think, what happened to his father? What if they killed him? He tried to push those thoughts away from his head. It didn't work. Wolfgang stood in an ally with Nova, who was holding Arénam-Aria. When they came home they weren't noticed. Wolfgang had tried to run away but Nova first grabbed the currently sleeping one year old. Wolfie peeked out to look for any of the mean men who were in their living room wanting someone called the 'Demonic Master'. Wolfe's bright green eyes widened, he grabbed Terra's hand. He pulled Terra into the ally. The man passed he didn't see them. "Wolfie, Nova, Aré. You're okay." Terra whispers. Nova adjust Arénam in her arms. "Where's Dad?" She asked. She almost cried when she heard a new voice say something. Something they all didn't want to hear. Aria woke up._

_ "He's dead… They killed him…." Arénam spoke perfectly fluently for the first time in her life. They all jumped at the little girl's words. "What are saying, Aré?" Wolfe asks. "The man pulled the trigger…. His gun fired..." The runt of the litter fell asleep again right after she finished. "W-What?"_

(Arénam-Aria's P.O.V)

I remember, laying on my back with my eyes staring blanking at the ceiling. That was something I didn't want to remember. I caused everything. It keeps running through my head over and over again, like a movie one I'd rather not see. Those words, my first words. They almost haunted me, they were almost evil.

_He's dead…. They killed him….. The man pulled the trigger…. His gun fired…_

I almost sounded like I didn't care. My father was dead and I didn't care.

_Arénam….._

I sat up. I look around, no one was there. I lived alone besides the fact that I take care of these beings called Celestial Creatures. Celestial Creatures are light spirits that have crossed over from the Realm of Spirits. They choose a master (owner) and live out the rest of their chosen master's life. No pain when pets die anymore, if you have one. But I am not their master only a caretaker.

_Arénam-Aria…_

_Come to me._

_I'm waiting…._

I jump off my bed. "Where is that coming from?" I asked myself walking over to the empty space that once was a door. This place was once full of life now it's a ruin. I've lived here for nine years, ever since I was four, now I am thirteen. I walk down the long hallway, looking around with the sun shining through the empty gaps in the ceiling.

_Almost there…_

The floor wobbles and starts to crack. I try to jump off of the falling tiles but something grabbed my ankle. When the dust cleared I pushed the rubble off of me. "I haven't been here before." She gazed around the room. Besides it being dusty it was absolutely untouched. A podium was placed in the center of the room.

_Go ahead._

_Take it._

_Take what?_

_What's truly is yours._

On the podium was a metal shaped heart. It was a brooch, a golden color. It had no signs of it actually aging. It's been here for years. I slowly go over to it. The brooch glows a bright yellow and white shade.

_Claim your brooch. _

I stretch my hand out to grab it but I had a question. "Why is this mine?" I ask only to get no answer. Lacing my fingers around the cold metal I felt a strong power. A smile was brought onto my face. Something I hadn't done in about nine years. Why does this make me feel happy? I shook away the thought after thinking about it for a few minutes. When I turn around a violet snake dropped down from the ceiling. I jump back nearly hitting into the podium. "Sorry to scare you, mistresssssss." The snake hissed.

"It's fine." I rolled my eyes "Wind." I said using aero to lift me up the gap in the floor (or the ceiling). An emerald Pegasus nudged my arm and a rose colored mouse asked a question in a squeaky voice. "Oh! Mistress! Where did you get that brooch?" She jumped on my shoulder. I pointed to the hole in the floor. "From this room."

"I've never seen this before!" The Pegasus exclaims, its sapphire eyes bulging with excitement. "That brooch is something spectacular." My snake friend slithered up onto my shoulder examining the brooch in my hands. "Yeah, I guess." I start walking down to my room. When I heard that voice I thought that someone was here. I didn't realize I was lonely. "I wish I could see my family again." I whispered picking up a black necklace with a black eighth note charm in the center. The back of the charm, however, was white. Terra and Nova, my big brother and sister, gave me this on my fourth birthday. "Why don't you go see them?" I stood up, dropping the necklace on the ground. "I don't know, can I?"

_From: T & N _

_To: AA_

I saw my mouse friend read the description on the back. "I heard from another creature that your brother Terra's about to take his mark of mastery exam." I took my necklace from the rose colored mouse and clumsily put it on. "How will I get there though?" I look at the bright blue sky. "I don't know, but I think you should wear these. Seems more appropriate than what you are wearing now." I look at my 'window' and see various Celestial Creatures with clothes. I look down at the loose white dress and no shoes I wore every day.

I gave a crooked smile. Not exactly keyblade wielding outfit I guess. I mean I only trained with spirits of past keyblade masters who roamed here, I even trained the master who trained Master Eraqus.

The clothes were more suitable for a keyblade wielder, I guess. Red tank top, black unzipped vest (short sleeved), sleeveless red cropped vest (zippered, ends at her mid-section), Loose fitting red pants, two crossed black belts, black boots, one black fingerless glove on her left hand, and thick black-rimmed glasses. "Why do you have glasses?" one of the bird-like celestial creatures answered my question after it handed me the glasses. "One of the master spirits said you had trouble seeing."

I put on the glasses and I could see perfectly. "It doesn't help that I don't know how to get back, I don't know if I can even leave." I said solemnly looking at my wrists. Red energy chains glowed then faded on around my wrist, the chain led all the way around the ruins. It came and left attached to the beating of my heart.

_You can be freed child._

I swiped the clothes from the celestial creatures and changed into them. They fit perfectly.

_Listen to me._

_ I am listening. Who are you?_

_ I am Korosu, the original Demonic Master._

_ How can I hear you?_

_ You are my new vessel, the new Demonic Master. _

_ What?_

_ To see your brother listen to my instructions. Find the highest cliff in this world._

Without waiting I listened to Korosu. I jumped out of the ruin. I left my furry and not so furry friends behind. I felt the wind rush past me as I sprint up a mountain, new links kept adding to the chain. I feel well I don't even know how I felt. So many emotions rushing in my head all at once. I wasn't lonely, afraid, or even sad like I was before. I was happy and excited, but what if he didn't recognize me.

When I reached the cliff I didn't dare look down. I felt the chains try to pull me back. A sudden burst of strength flowed through me. I jumped. I heard the chain snap through the wind pounding against my ears. I close my eyes and another memory floods into my mind.

_All the citizens of the Slums within The Rowan children's home surrounded them. They were shouting terrible things." That Child is the devil!" pointing to baby Arénam-Aria. "She brought Hell to us all!" Nova clung to her little sister. "You will not touch my family." Nova handed Aré to Terra. She summons her keyblade. Her eyes narrowed as the people's angered expressions changed into fearful ones. "You touch a single hair on their heads and I will not hold back." Each person started running away. All except for one man. He wasn't from here, he was an outsider. "Who are you?" Wolfe asks shuffling behind Nova. This man was a keyblade master, Master Eraqus. _

_About a month had past and something was discovered about Wolfe, he was a Spirit Walker. That's a problem because Spirit Walkers have to be specially trained, there's not many left. Another master, another Spirit Walker. _

"_Goodbye, Wolfie." Nova hugged her brother. Wolfe started crying, he didn't want to leave his siblings. Terra especially didn't want him to leave. Since they couldn't summon their keyblades, Terra could but not all the time, the two brothers made wooden keyblades for practice. "Bye Wolfie." Terra handed Wolfe his wooden keyblade. "Don't forget your keyblade." Wolfe grabbed his wooden keyblade out of his brother's hand. "Thank you. And when we see get each other again we'll both be masters." Wolfe said handing the wooden keyblade to his new master. He hugged his older brother. When they separated Wolfe held out his pinkie finger. "Pinkie Promise?" Terra wraps his pinkie around Wolfe's. "Pinkie Promise."_

I open my eyes and the ground was not even close to me. Actually the ground was not even there. Wait, this is the lanes between. I remember Master Eraqus talking about this to Terra and Aqua. Don't I need, wait a minute. Everything was tinted, I was wearing silver armor with red flowing and glowing streaks through the armor and the supplementary armor that was on my waist.

"How am I?" I ask ending my sentence when I saw a pair of matching blood red demon wings. "I'm flying? Land of Departure's over there!" I exclaim pointing to the world I once called home.

_You have awoken but since you have it comes with a price._

Everything was blurry. "W-What?" I ask feeling something wrap around my leg. _Darkness._ The corners of my eyes began to be covered by black. I tried to break free but everything went numb before I could. Those feelings, the ones I mentioned earlier, the bad ones, all rushed back. Everything went black.

I woke up back in the uniform the celestial creatures gave me. I was in a place I didn't recognize. A barren land, just dirt. Walking further through this place I saw lifeless keyblades everywhere. "What is this place?" I wondered aloud looking around. I kept walking to a completely barren place, very far from that other place, no keys could be seen from here.

A light shines down from above me as the clouds move away revealing a heart-shaped moon. Kingdom Hearts. I gasp as I feel a cold substance touch my legs. I was shocked when I looked down and saw a green crystal quickly making its way up my legs, quickly. I reached up towards Kingdom Hearts as everything becomes dark and Kingdom Hearts disappears.

_I feel nothing, not anymore. I've died more than once already. I've lost many things. My mind is incomplete. I am a shattered master. _


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: First year, Misery

Arénam-Aria fell with her eyes flashing, from her electric green and cobalt blue to a blood red. The nothingness took over everything around her.

_The master's whose heart is as strong as the force of an army._

_The master who is as fierce as a lion._

_All hidden in an innocent disguise._

_You may only be a child._

_The worlds need you. _

_They need you._

_I need you. _

Her eyes shot open she heard a deep demonic voice rang through her head. Visions flooded her mind.

_This is who you are…_

A tall man, at the age of twenty five, stood in a stadium filled with thousands of people watching him. The center of the arena was a platform that was purely white. Though nothing was around the platform, an empty abyss. His golden eyes flash with anger as an attractive woman, about the same age as he, with flowing golden hair and bright violet eyes approached him.

"You know we could just end this now, we could go back to the way it was before." The woman said with a smile, trying to flirt with the man. He just looked away, completely unaffected. He looked like he couldn't even stand her. "You and I both are aware that is impossible, Hikari." The voice was the same one that had spoken to her earlier.

"Why do we even have to be here? We're already masters, why are they testing us again?" She complains in a rather bored fashion. "You spineless worm, why must you complain so much?" He shouts at Hikari. She gasps and walks away. Everything about her showed she was insulted. They stiffened as an elderly man began to speak.

"On this very day, wielders will watch history occur. Two masters of equal status face off to see who the true master is. Demonic and Angelic Master, are you prepared?" The two masters nodded. The man summoned a large blade of two demon wings crossed, Hikari summoned a much shorter delicate, heavenly looking keyblade.

"Began the examination." The two masters charged towards each other, their keyblades clashed. They were in a struggle match. The vision seeped away in red.

A loose tear fell from Aré's electric green eye. "I'm sorry." She whispers as the vision continues.

The two masters, covered in blood, panting fumbling with their keyblades. They charged at each other, for the last time, they struck against each other. The vision was blurred with a mixture of light and darkness. "Korosu. I am ready." The thirteen year old brunette spoke with a tone so venomous and twisted even monsters would shake with open fear.

* * *

"Where am I?" Aré asks looking around blankly. The scenery was cheerful, too cheerful. A peaceful meadow, animals grazing, flowers blooming, and it was almost silent. She hated it. The wind blew strongly north. Standing up she had a strong feeling to follow it, flower petals drifted along the wind. Her blank expression turns into a thoughtful glance, directing the beautiful mix-matched eyes she owned decision was made.

Arénam- Aria began to run with the currents of the wind, feeling that she was one with the wind. Her boot-covered feet dashed along the dirt road, as she ran she overlooked the fact that the grass surrounding the area was slowing dying after she pasted and faded into a rocky-earthy soil. She came across an abyss with naturally made rock pillars that lead to the other side, the other side she could make out a mountain path leading to somewhere she couldn't see.

The young brunette steps back with a determined glare. She took a deep breath and broke into a sprint and at the edge, with a second to spare, she jumps. Barely making it, she held on to the edge. A roar broke the perfect silence. Aré almost slipped, pulling herself up. Her green-blue eyes darted to the sky.

An unrecognizable creature soared down from the heavens. Landing on the natural platform, hissing at the girl. A barely silent growl escapes from Arénam. Her eyes flash an unnatural, sickening shade of red. '_You are ready.'_ The voice fades, Arénam summons her keyblade. Her keyblades name is Faith's Melody. Aré's keyblade is themed to music. The handle of her blade is a treble and bass clef together. The shaft is more like sheet music with ledger lines and various notes spread across it to the head of the key. The teeth of her key is a quarter note, two half notes, and another quarter note.

Eyes now fully red, she raises her keyblade. The creature roared with a great force. "Inferno!" she shouts as flames shoot up from the abyss. They dart towards the creature. The monster hissed in agony. Arénam- Aria took the chance to jump to another rock pillar, the creature screeched an icy barrage at her. An icy spike stabbed into her leg when she made an attempt to dodge. Silently cursing she threw her keyblade at the creature. Knowing now that fleeing was not an option, she launches herself at the monster. Her blade returns to her as gravity takes over and drags her down towards the creature.

Whispering in an unknown language a spell was casted at the last second. A strong light consumed all around. Arénam- Aria landed on a platform behind the beast. The blood-covered monster growled in anger. Wrapping its large claw around the girl and threw her into a rock formation. She tried to regain composure, she squirmed to find some sort of ground. Falling off of the rock she went into the abyss. Aré grabbed two loose rocks off of the pillar miles further from where she was originally, taking a breather. Only to have her keyblade finally come down to her with a large push against her back. The rocks broke and the girl plummeted. Not one scream even traced from her mouth. Though fear replaced all emotion in her eyes, which were once filled with light and purity.

The monster came down with a scream. Her keyblade came to her within seconds. The beast wrapped its claws around Arénam-Aria stabbing its talons into her skin. She winced and shouted with pain, the words she spoke were in an unknown language. A blinding red light bursts from the tip of the keyblade, the monster screeches as it fades into nothingness. An orange shard of glass fell where the monster once was.

"What's this?" The orange shard glows and floats to her. It was bright and when she grasped the shard, it was warm, a familiar warmth. _Being a keyblade master is all I've ever dreamed about._ A voice, her brother's voice, rang threw her head. She forgot about falling and she wasn't afraid or hurt. The golden brooch shook its way loose from her pocket. She tried to grab it, she couldn't. It glowed with the same warmth she felt before. The orange shard slips perfectly into the empty space of the brooch. "Terra's dream, it's giving off power from its strength." She whispers with a small smile finding its way on to her face. "Dream Light!" A light emitted from the brooch, wrapping around Arénam, it guided her upwards. Landing on the other side of the abyss.

"Thank you. Big brother." She slips the brooch back into her pocket. She looks up and only to see a thick fog block her path. Wait that isn't fog. She sniffed the air, it was smoke. "Wind!" She shouts. Aero is casted and wind rushes around her. The smoke is cleared. What she saw was a horrendous scene. The meadow she saw before was in front of her. But that wasn't the bad part. It was on fire. Everything, the grass and plants were all burned black. The animals were burning alive. Their screams pierced her ears. She squints with pain, stabbing into her skull. A ringing, stung like a thousand bees at once.

"What's happening to me?!" She groans, falling to her knees. A growl forced her attention to change. "Was that me?" Her voice turned into a rasp. Dizziness took over, her vision began to blacken. She saw someone, a man, he seemed familiar. She coughed, "Whose thhhereee?" She spluttered blood onto the ground. Her eyes closed.

_Korosu…. Why is this happening to me? _

_**Do not worry my loyal child. This is part of the plan.**_

_What plan?_

_**To perfect your blood, mind, and spirit….**_

_**Forget who you are.**_

_**Take a new lead in life.**_

Hours later Arénam woke up. The flames were extinguished. She coughs looking further around, dead animals laid all around her. Bite marks about two inches thick and about seven inches wide. "What happened?" The thirteen year old raised her head from the ground. She hears footsteps coming from behind her. Within a second she's on her feet with her blade pressed against a man's throat. His electric green eyes filled with shock and possibly with fear. "Who are you?" Her eyes flashed from their normal colors to a deep, sickly red.

He smirks, "Easy does it, shortie."

Shortie? I'm not much shorter than you yanno." She presses her blade into his throat, a droplet of blood emerges. He steps back with a confused look on his tanned face.

"Did you just say 'Yanno'?" He questions getting a closer look at the girl. With sudden realization of who she was, he wraps his muscular arms around the girl's body. "Little Arénam-Aria! You grew up soooo much!" He shouted excitedly shaking the girl around rapidly.

"What? Wolfie?" She pries herself off of the young man. He stood up scratching the back of his head, awkwardly.

"Yeah, I kinda got stuck here."

"That I believe. What's here?"

"First you're mean. Second The Realm of Spirits. World specially known as Elemental Truth. You find out what you truly are if you can conquer the seven elements."

_Conquer the Elements?_

She walks away only remembering that one phrase. Wolfe tried to stop her, she didn't listen, and she wouldn't listen. "Yanno you're just like Terra." Arénam-Aria stopped. Now she was listening, she was also furious. "Do not compare to him." She shouted. Wolfe froze, this girl did not like being compared to anyone. "It's not like he's a bad person, Arénam-Aria, he's one of the greatest people I have ever met. I know you feel the same way too."

"You're giving him too much credit. Yes, I love him because he's my brother. I want to be myself. I'm the youngest, I'm not special at all. I have to go find who I truly am." The younger of the two siblings wanted to walk away, so she did. Only to be stopped by a firm hand on her non-armored shoulder. She turns to face her brother, his face was very serious (for once).

"Arénam, the next elements are harder. Especially the next. Not everyone can fight the darkness. I don't want it to take a heart like yours." Wolfe's grip on Arénam was broken when she fled into the shadows.

**Insolent child **

**How can you even defeat darkness?**

**Your brother couldn't even do the same.**

**He is weak but you…**

**Your light is strong too strong. **

**It must be destroyed. **

"W-What Who are you? Get away from me, you monster." Aré wandered through immense amount of darkness. She held her head tightly, almost crying. Images flashed over her eyes. Terra. Xehanort….. "XEHANORT." The girl screamed but she froze directly afterwards. _Who is Xehanort?_

**Yes, Xehanort. **

** The man who created an apocalypse out of curiosity. But he isn't done yet **

** Your brother, Terra, is that his name?**

** He became a victim of our own.**

"What do you mean? What did he do Terra?!" Now she was angry. Arénam onlyy had her family, She always wanted to keep them close, She couldn't lose them. Not now not ever.

**And you only have one arm, child. **

** You're weak just like your eldest brother.**

"He isn't weak. What happened to him? What about Nova?!" She questioned looking around, there was no owner to that voice. "Yanno what! I don't care about this STUPID, FAKE arm." She wailed throwing her armored arm off, revealing she had no arm underneath it. Tears broke free.

_**Don't let her get to you, Arénam-Aria!**_

_ "Aré, calm down, you'll be fine." Terra tried to calm his crying sister. The two siblings were running from the hell that has fallen upon their home. The little girl held her shoulder, she now only had one arm. The rain pattered against the puddles of blood around her. "T-Terra. It hurts. Why did the mean man hurt me?" She asked with her entire body shaking, her big green-blue eyes filled with tears. _

_ "I don't know Aré, I-I don't know." Terra hung his head._

_The image came again across his mind. Him and his toddler sister, sprinting through the streets with their home coming down all around them. "Find the girl! Now!" The words never leaving his head. That man, he killed his father and he watched. Terra imagined the trigger being pulled and blood and other things splattering throughout the room. Those men in suits chased the two children. Arénam-Aria had slight trouble keeping up, being new to running. Before he could check if the men were near. Everything went by in a flash. _

_BANG! A gunshot breaking through the almost perfect silence aside from the panicked and labored breathing of the two siblings. A scream practically shattered his ear drum. _

"_ARÉNAM!"He watched as her arm fly off of her body. He found himself crying. "H-Heal." He whispered, once seeing their father use this before. She only had a stub of an arm left. But she wasn't crying, not anymore. "Thank you, Big brother." She gave him a one arm hug, he, of course, hugged her back._

_**Don't fall for their tricks.**_

_** Find a way to fight the corrupt darkness.**_

_Corrupt darkness?_

_**Darkness is not evil nor light is good. Darkness is only darkness but anger and hate can corrupt it and make it evil.**_

_** Purify the Darkness. **_

_'Is that even possible.' _She thought as she summoned Faith's Melody. Golden orbs fluttered around her. Dancing, the orbs grew, almost doubling in size, circling her. Eyes glowing yellow, she spun with light exploding everywhere. She landed on her feet with half of a smile on her face. Nothing happened.

**Darkness cannot be destroyed by light.**

"I know. I was not trying to destroy it." She gave an untrustworthy smirk, her eyes glinted with feelings that could not be described. She hummed a slow tune, like a lullaby. Curious sounds surrounded her as golden eyes watched her. She began to sing softly. A song her mother sang to her once, it was also her mother's last words.

_They slowly fade away,_

_Leaving it all behind._

_What is left of me?_

_Here I stand alone,_

_No one would forget. _

_Who I've lost_

_And what I've found._

_Never can turn around._

_Losing faith_

_And forgetting destiny._

_Can I save?_

_What they forgot?_

_What they forgot…_

The golden sun was blinding as the darkness began to clear. Her melodic voice rang through the cold air. She started to dance around, the pianos music in her head. Her smile grew and tears dripped slowly down her cheeks. She heard another voice join hers, but the owner of the voice was not there. It was tired but just as lovely as Arénam's. The sounds of birds calling early in the morning could not best the voice of the woman and the child. Correction, the mother and the child_._ The music grew louder and more exciting as the girl's dance followed in suit.

_Who am I?_

_To say?_

_If it's right_

_Or if it's wrong._

_While your heart rests_

_While your life is close to end._

_How can you believe?_

_How can you smile?_

_ Can you have faith?_

_How can you love?_

_How can you trust?_

_After all I've done._

_After all I've done…_

The face that she hadn't seen for what felt like an eternity. The stunning cobalt colored eyes, filled with passion and forever filled with joy, her milk chocolate hair failing down to her waist with a few messy locks covering small parts of her face. She saw the snowy pale woman smile softly, her voice began to fade away. 'No come back! Please! I need you! Mother!' Arénam-Aria screams in her thoughts as the vision of her mother start to fade away towards a strong light. 'Goodbye, my baby girl!' She heard the woman's voice for the last time. 'No….' The piano in her thoughts slowed.

_Where is your light?_

_Are you hiding in the dark?_

_Why can't I see you?_

_When you're right in front of me?_

_Why did you forget?_

_How could you forget?_

_I'm with you,_

_Until the end of time._

_Never forget,_

_That you have a purpose_

_Hope you never,_

_Never lose yourself._

_Never lose yourself…_

After her deceased mother's voice had left her for good a deeper one joined hers. Her fathers. 'Father…' she whispers. 'My little munchkin.' Aria couldn't see his face, however, she knew his signature smug look was on it. Her smile remains as she remembers his coal black, naturally spiked hair, the hair that had been passed on from him to Arénam and her two brothers. His electric green eyes, she remembered seeing them from when she was very young. He faded away too quickly.

_Wish I could change,_

_My dreadful fate._

_So I could see your smile._

_To see the stars in your eyes._

_Your voice was always kind,_

_Soft, and sweet to listen._

_I wish I could hear you,_

_Even just one more time._

_Even if it is my last._

_I want to see you again._

_Only one can hear,_

_The Lullaby of my Heart._

_Lullaby of my heart._

The darkness was gone. She walked into the next element. A large creature, a lilac colored phoenix screamed in her face.

_Nothing is ever the way it seems. Things change too quickly. One day all you do is fear death and suffering. But when you die more than once, than live the rest of your days in complete agony just wanting to let the truth escape. Those scared feelings fade into nothingness and you feel nothing. You're not afraid._

**Me: cliff-hanger, so I read somewhere that the elements are not four but seven. The elements being fire, earth, water, air, darkness, light and spirit. Also the idea of corrupted darkness came from a book I am writing with both darkness and light, similar theme to kingdom hearts but darkness and light fight on the same side, the enemies are just corrupted. The darkness never made them evil but the negative emotions they felt made them evil, the heroes in that story fight to cleanse the darkness. The song is my own originally, I wrote the lyrics myself. Usagi (Nova, Terra, Arénam, and Wolfie's mother) is an OC also so is their father and so is Nova and Wolfie.**

**And lastly when Arénam-Aria had the flash back of losing her arm, she was one during the flashback and the bullet was about the size of her arm that's why it was able to blow off her arm. She was only with Terra because it was foreshadowing. **

**I only own the OCs I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the worlds used in the story, except the Temple of Light and the Stage of Mastery, which I created myself. **


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3: Year 1 Curiosity (Part two)

The darkness was gone. She walked into the next elemental section. A large creature, a lilac colored phoenix screamed in her face. "Another monster." She rolls her eyes with a sarcastic smirk tracing her lips. Another screech broke the short silence.

The phoenix's beak snaps shut onto Arénam-Aria's arm. "I'm not losing another arm." She laughs. She swings her foot back before quickly kicking her foot into the bird's neck. The large creature recoils in pain by flying into the air. She kept her eyes only on the phoenix. "This phoenix is the guardian of this element." She whispers.

"Who cares what it is. Come and fight me coward!" The bird swoops down with its beak open. The beast made an attempt to bite the thirteen year old but she swipes her keyblade towards the lilac phoenix. She shouted, "Tempest!" a violent wind came out of nowhere knocking the bird of its claws. The creature didn't move, Arénam-Aria began to slide in the direction of the wind. She grunts in pain as the back of her shirt and vest ripped open. Boney wings dosed in her blood, stained forever with that color, forced their way through her skin. She forced back a scream.

The creature launches towards Arénam. She wraps her wings around her body. Her face was once blocked by a pinkish membrane that was sewn in between each bone of the wing. It was torn by a grey claw and the phoenix's face close to hers.

She made a shrill, inhuman screech that rendered the bird paralyzed. She smirks with the extra time it had given her and summons her keyblade to stab the bird. As she lowered her blade to make a quick assault, her whole body froze. Her jaw hurt, her entire face hurt. She could help but smile. Her smile grew larger and larger and larger. Her smile went from ear to ear, literally. Thick fangs grew into place in her mouth. Her pupils became paper thin and flooded with a frightening red shade.

Arénam-Aria screamed, "Winter Storm!" A tornado of ice barrages the monster. Slowly standing, she went to a low crouch with her arm hanging loosely. Her keyblade disappears. Her head jerks back as the light shows her newly demented face. The phoenix was shocked at the girl's new appearance, even she could see that it was. She lurches towards the creature.

"Why was I using magic?" She questioned herself as she forced her hand through the feathered beast's chest. It screamed in pain but she was too blind to care. She pulls her claw out if the phoenix's chest. With a loud thud the beast fell. Curling up in pain, the bird was screeching ever so weakly.

"It's pitiful, you weak monster. You are a guardian. I expected more of a fight." Arénam-Aria said with her features returning to normal. She looked at the bird confused with her cobalt and electric green eyes. The girl had no idea what she had done.

'' W-What? Did I do this? "She asked herself with no expected answer. Only a monster could do something like this. She was no monster. Or was she. The blanks in her memory, everything was black and she couldn't remember anything.

_**This is merely a side effect.**_

_**Though we are a monster, we still have heart. **_

_**Put the beast out of its misery.**_

_**We wish pain on those who deserve it.**_

Arénam-Aria did as she was instructed to do. Her blade went through the bird's neck. It erupted in a dark mist. Her breath was caught in her throat. Choking on the air, it was trapped, like a prisoner. She killed something. A living creature, dead, its blood was on her hand.

"You saw me didn't you?" her voice came out in a wheezing sound, it was clear enough for him to understand. The spiritual smoke disappeared, light came in and surrounded her and everything else. She turned around to look at the man behind her. Someone she didn't think she'd see here and she defiantly did not want him to see, or anyone for that matter.

"Arénam-""You saw that monster I turned into! You saw me kill that phoenix!" She paused before saying his name. "Master Eraqus."

"Yes, I saw what you did. Arénam-Aria, what happened? What has changed in you?" Eraqus asked almost pleadingly. Almost pleading for the answers that no one knew. Except for her. "I was al- Hm?" She couldn't speak, she kept trying but nothing would come out. She made a fist, almost fighting Korosu in her mind. He had control over her being as well, he couldn't let her tell. "I can't tell you! He won't let me! Please go away, Eraqus! Leave! I'll hurt you." She screamed. She watched him disappear.

"Why does this happen to me? Every time I care for something, it gets ripped away."

_Don't you think the phoenix felt the same_?

_Arénam- Aria falls to the ground holding her head, in pain._

_It was a monster just like the one you are._

Her hand turn into claws, scaly red.

_I don't even know why the light picked you._

She throws her head back and arches her back as large demon wings force their way out from in between her shoulder-blades.

_Monsters are flawed, hideous, and worthless._

Small horns poke out from her messy brown hair. A demon tail grows from her lower back.

_You don't even belong in the light. _

_Her mouth spreads from ear to ear. She now has a fangy demonic grin._

_Death should've taken you when he had the chance._

_"Who said light had to be perfect." She rasps as her demon features faded away. _

_"Who said light had to be flawless." _

_"Who said light had to be worth something."_

_"Who said light had to be loyal, honest, good, friendly, trustworthy, or anything. When was this decided, because I didn't say this was what light was"_

_"Anyone who thinks that was blinded by the light. Blinded by their ambitions. They've forgotten everything that truly mattered, even if they think that they remember."_

_ "I am not blinded. I can see past your façade. That's why I was chosen." __**To be the Master of Light.**__ Korosu finished. "I know others who can't see past this, I can show them how to see past this"_

_ "Hikari was blinded, Korosu is not. I am Korosu." Her speech rang through the warm air. Her words echoing throughout the space. She smiles at the silence the voice had left._

_That's…. Right._

"Of course I'm right." She said proudly. She felt satisfied that she beat the elements all except for one. But she beat the illusions, _the illusions_. Thinking about them made her upset. She had to push away Wolfe and Master Eraqus. She felt terrible. Arénam-Aria's head hurt with the feelings brought every bad memory she has ever had. "I'm sorry." She cried out, they'd all couldn't know. She could never have an ally or a friend in her life.

"Nova, Terra, and Wolfe. I'm sorry. The four of us will never see each other again." She gripped her necklace tightly. The light around her disappeared. The emptiness was replaced with. A path leading to a marble temple. The Temple of Light. The name traced her mind. The place looks familiar. She ignored that thought and continued anyway. She quickened her steps into a light jog.

She put her hand on the door handle. Arénam hesitated, did she want to know what she was? Can't Korosu just tell her? She opened the door not fighting against herself anymore. All she saw was a crystal clear pool and nothing else but white everywhere.

"This is it, Water will tell me the truth." She reassured herself, not knowing if water would tell her the truth. She knelt by the small pool. Her reflection was not her own. It was her demonic side. The many times she switched just in this world.

"I need to hold back." Aria noted. "Why should you hold back? All the worlds need someone that can protect them. Other can do that. But they can't make them fear you. They need fear." Her demon reflection spoke with a great amount of venom within her voice. "I'm not evil, I'm a peacekeeper. I don't want anyone to fear me." Aré replied. Her left leg twitches slightly, she was ready to run when needed. The reflection saw this.

"You're not going anywhere." The reflection smirks. Its claw comes out of the water. Wraps each dagger like 'fingers' around the real Aré's neck. Fear shot through her body, she shook almost violently. "Why are you afraid? This is what you are." Arénam-Aria gasps as the reflection's arm snaps closer to its 'body'. She let her eyes close when she felt the water splash against her face.

She opened her eyes seeing a girl with red hair and violet eyes staring back at her. The other girl smiled as her keyblade appeared in her hands. Arénam-Aria summons her keyblade. She slashes at the girl blindly. The red head grabs her abdomen as the water is slowly turning read. The red-headed girl attempts to attack Arénam. The brunette disappears in a flash of light before she could.

Arénam-Aria landed on a world looking face down at the grass. She panted heavily. She felt she had no breath left. "Hey, are you alright?" Aré looks up at two young boys.

_My whole life I was nothing but an apprentice imprisoned by destiny. Played by the cards of fate. When really I was a master of thousands of people sworn to protect everyone who needed me. I am the Demonic master._


End file.
